The Young Husband Who Needs a Wedding to Ward Off Illness (19)

It's so hot inside, I can hardly stand it anymore.

Xue Ci stared blankly as Qin Wuzhen smelled the spreading water stains, his eyelids twitching.

If Qin Zhuo had done that, he probably would have just kicked it away.

But given Qin Wuzhen's words... Xue Ci dared not do that.

Once the other person finally straightened up, he pretended not to notice and reminded him, "Brother... Qin Zhuo can do these things. It's late, and you have to go to the pharmacy tomorrow. Go and get some rest."

Having said that, Qin Wuzhen naturally nodded in agreement.

But she kept her hands tightly gripping the bed sheet.

"You should all get some rest too," Qin Wuzhen said, then took the bedsheets and left.

After everyone left, Qin Zhuo closed the door and asked, "Wife, would you like to take a bath before applying the medicine?"

Xue Ci absentmindedly hummed in response.

Hot water had just been brought in. Qin Zhuo adjusted the water temperature, took the blanket off Xue Ci, and then carried her into the water.

His own clothes were also splashed with water. Qin Zhuo stared at the rippling water, which reflected Xue Ci's face, which was covered in drenched droplets.

He really wanted to ask if they could shower together, but he was afraid Xue Ci get angry.

Xue Ci's small face was stern and cold, giving her an even more aloof and unapproachable air than usual.

Qin Zhuo knew he had done something wrong.

It wasn't that he couldn't control himself—but at that time Xue Ci's beautiful face was radiant, and a pleasant sobbing sound always came from her throat.

He thought Xue Ci liked him like that.

The book also says that everyone likes hard work, and if they don't, they're just being hypocritical.

He thought Xue Ci just saying "my stomach hurts" and "let's stop for a moment" on purpose, but after seeing the liquid rising into the air, he realized... he seemed to have made a mistake.

Will Xue Ci think he's a libertine?

Qin Zhuo was deeply worried.

Xue Ci in the bucket, squinted slightly, as if her bones had been softened by the hot water.

"My wife..."

He called out softly, his tone clearly ingratiating. "Would you like some hot water?"

Unfortunately, Xue Ci was still reeling from the humiliating moment and kept reliving the awkward situation, so she kept her eyes drooping and ignored him.

Qin Zhuo dared not speak.

He focused on serving people while they bathed. The room was hot, and the water cooled down slowly, so he would occasionally add hot water.

The bath was very thorough, Xue Ci was finally pulled out, her whole body glowing pink.

He let Qin Zhuo apply the medicine, but only to the visible parts of his body. He refused to apply it to the deeper parts, and then wrapped himself tightly in the quilt.

I slept until noon.

When he woke up, Qin Zhuo wasn't in bed; he was standing guard by the bedside, his dark eyes staring intently at him.

Xue Ci suspected that the other person had been awake for a while and had been staring at her ever since.

Qin Zhuo's tone was anxious as he leaned over the headboard. "Wife, how are you feeling?"

Xue Ci's back was still sore, but not to the point of being unbearable. He never thought of himself as delicate, but he was just too ashamed last night.

He gave a curt "Oh," then got up, dressed, washed, and ate.

The more he acted this way, the more afraid Qin Zhuo became.

After Xue Ci eating and returned to her room to rest, he squatted down and carefully rubbed his face against her knee. "Wife, are you still angry with me?"

Xue Ci was no longer angry; who would argue with a fool?

He just felt embarrassed—he hadn't seen Qin Wuzhen while he was eating, and the sheets he'd soiled the night before were still drying in the backyard.

I heard that Qin Wuzhen took a bath in the middle of the night.

Xue Ci couldn't understand why the other person would be willing to wash the dirty sheets.

He felt that Qin Wuzhen's appearance last night was quite different from the Qin Wuzhen he had always known.

Lost in thought, he didn't even notice Qin Zhuo talking to him. It wasn't until the silly dog's eyes reddened as he cried out, "Wife, don't ignore me..."

"I read in a book that it only feels good when it goes very deep, and I heard my wife moaning softly, so I thought it was because it felt so good."

Xue Ci's ears burned, afraid he might say something else strange, "I'm not angry anymore, please don't say anything more."

Qin Zhuo looked silly, but he paid close attention to Xue Ci's subtle expressions and tone of voice.

He still felt that Xue Ci didn't want to talk to him, so he grasped her hand and said, "I... I don't necessarily want to do these things with my wife."

"I married you because I love you, not for these reasons."

Xue Ci saw that his eyes had reddened as he spoke, and her heart softened. She said, "I'm not ignoring you. Why are you crying when you're so tall?"

Qin Zhuo said, feeling wronged, "You seem to care a lot about my older brother. You asked him several times during dinner today when he would be back."

The sheets were washed, how could she not care? But Xue Ci felt she couldn't explain it to Qin Zhuo, so she made up an excuse to brush it off. In the afternoon, when Qin Wuzhen returned, Xue Ci deliberately pretended to bump into him, wanting to secretly observe Qin Wuzhen's reaction to her.

It seems the same as before... I bought him food from outside, took his pulse, and told him what to wear.

They didn't look at him with prejudice after they learned he had wet the bed.

Xue Ci was finally relieved.

These events were completely unexpected and outside the original plot, so the progress bar naturally rewound.

Recently, Qin Zhuo has been accompanying him to recover from his illness and hasn't been going to school. His progress bar hadn't increased much to begin with, and now it's even decreased... Xue Ci sighed with heartache and urged Qin Zhuo to go to school quickly.

Qin Zhuo, with a drooping face, turned back every two steps, kissing him on the lips again and again before reluctantly leaving home.

And so, Qin Zhuo spent his days attending classes and his evenings brewing medicine and taking care of his wife, and his life suddenly became very busy.

The only downside is that Xue Ci can't come to school with him.

Xue Ci arrive, leaving a group of disappointed classmates at the school.

Especially Xie Qiaosi.

He didn't show it on his face, but he had indirectly asked him about Xue Ci's situation several times behind his back.

Qin Zhuo wasn't stupid this time. "Why are you asking these questions?"

Xie Qiaosi: "Of course I care about him. I heard from my family last time that he's recovered, is that right?"

Qin Zhuo: "My wife is blessed; she's the reincarnation of a little bodhisattva. Of course she'll get better."

Xie Qiaosi felt relieved upon hearing this. He had visited the Song Family several times when Xue Ci's illness was severe, but since it was a holiday during Xue Ci's recovery period, it wasn't appropriate for him to visit them every day.

Of course, they could go. Both the Song Family and his family were businessmen, so it wouldn't be a problem for them to go over every few days under some pretext.

Xie Qiaosi didn't go often, mainly because he was afraid Xue Ci would bother him.

As the saying goes, "familiarity breeds contempt," he can't be around Xue Ci every day, otherwise he'd be no different from Qin Zhuo.

He had to wait until Xue Ci grew tired of Qin Zhuo before he could seize the opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Qin Zhuo suddenly said, "Did you steal my wife's calligraphy brush and inkstone?"

Xue Ci suddenly fell seriously ill, and they all left in a hurry, without even packing up their belongings in the school. Xue Ci's seat was still there, but two writing brushes and an inkstone were missing.

Qin Zhuo was suspicious. In fact, he had suspected Xie Qiaosi as early as when Xue Ci's inner garment was stolen last time, but he felt that this person would not do such a petty thing.

But the more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became, so he pulled Xue Ci's table closer to himself, trying to keep it as far away from Xie Qiaosi as possible.

Qin Zhuo's guarded demeanor really annoyed Xie Qiaosi. He frowned. "What do you mean by stealing? Everyone in the school knows how good my relationship with Xue Ci is. I've sat next to him for so long, he invites me to eat together every day, and he even teaches me ' Xue Script. What's wrong with me helping him put his things away?"

Xie Qiaosi insisted on saying a lot when it could have been explained in a single sentence.

Qin Zhuo vaguely sensed that he was showing off something, and retorted, "My wife only feels sorry for you; she's kind to everyone."

The implication is—don't think you're special.

Xie Qiaosi was used to being lazy and didn't care about anything, let alone what others thought.

But Qin Zhuo's words broke his defenses.

He's been lacking interest in everything he does these days, his mind preoccupied with Xue Ci.

How can it not be special?

Not particularly likely to eat together every day? Not particularly likely to accept his confession of love?

Xie Qiaosi scoffed lightly. "What 'your wife'? Doesn't he have a name?"

Qin Zhuo paused for a moment, then immediately changed his tune. "Xiao Ci is good to everyone. In short, don't even think about anything else."

He lowered his voice. "Besides, I am now Xiao Ci's proper husband."

Most people wouldn't understand the meaning behind his words, but Xie Qiaosi could always grasp it.

Does "a proper husband" mean... he's done all those things?

That idiot is shameless.

A chill gradually gathered in Xie Qiaosi's eyes.

After the holiday, nobody was really in the mood to study; most people were just chatting and bragging, their voices dense and noisy. Then, "Bang!"—

The two people in the back row suddenly started fighting.

The crowd was surprised. Some people started to join in the fun, hoping they would fight even harder, while others, fearing they would attract the attention of the master, tried to persuade them to stop.

Of course, they didn't dare to step forward to break up the fight, as both men were tall and not to be underestimated.

The two fought like that in the back row for about half an incense stick's time, resulting in a draw, with both of them sustaining injuries and bruises on their faces.

After Xie Qiaosi finished the fight, he skipped school and didn't show up all afternoon.

He'd been skipping school for a long time; he probably went off to watch horseback riding on some hilltop after getting into a fight.

Qin Zhuo, on the other hand, is an honest man who usually keeps quiet even when people say something to him.

It seems Xie Qiaosi said something to Xue Ci that angered the honest man.

Everyone knows that Qin Zhuo values Song Xueci more than his own life.

They usually seemed to get along quite well, so why did they act like two wild lions fighting over something the moment Xue Ci wasn't around?

Sure enough—three people together is too crowded.

*

Xue Ci was staying at home when she heard a warning sound indicating that the progress bar was rewinding.

He was still waiting to see what was going on when Qin Zhuo came home from school today, when someone came to his house to find him first.

Upon entering the reception room, the table was laden with expensive fabrics, tea, and jewelry.

Madam Liu had a good impression of Xie Qiaosi, partly because the younger man was generous. She was entertaining this guest when Xue Ci arrived. "I was just about to call you. Your friend has come to see you. Take him inside!"

As soon as Xue Ci arrived, Xie Qiaosi's gaze fell directly on her.

It had been a long time since I'd seen him, and the young man was even more handsome than before. The sickly look in his eyes had faded, his blood and energy were abundant, his eyes were light-colored, and his skin was as misty as a newborn baby's, so tender that it seemed like you could squeeze water out of it.

Xie Qiaosi then realized that all those previous ideas and tactics were just self-deception.

What distance creates beauty?

He should come to see Xue Ci every day, preferably at a very close distance, so that he can't get off Xue Ci.

With elders present, Xie Qiaosi couldn't directly compliment someone with phrases like "You look so beautiful," so she used a similar approach. "Are you all better now? Your complexion is so much better."

Xue Ci looked at Xie Qiaosi's face and hesitated, "Your face... is a little..."

Lady Madam Liu explained, "Young Master Xie said he fell off his horse on the way here."

Xue Ci knew how painful it was to fall off a horse. When he was a child, he had seen an acrobatic performance where a staff member on horseback made a mistake and fell off the horse. He couldn't get up for a long time and probably broke his ribs.

He immediately became anxious. "What about your clothes? Did you fall and hurt yourself?"

Xue Ci's concerned tone made Xie Qiaosi's smile linger, "It's nothing, you just hurt your face."

After saying that, he got up and picked up two pots of flower seedlings from the table.

Madam Liu asked Xue Ci to take some people for a stroll in the back garden.

The two left the hall one after the other.

Xue Ci had just turned around and hadn't even had a chance to ask if his face hurt when Xie Qiaosi rushed over to him anxiously, "Qin Zhuo hit me, it hurts so much."

"..."

Xue Ci somewhat bewildered.

The main problem is that it's hard to reconcile the usually arrogant and haughty Xie Qiaosi with the man in front of her who's now complaining and playing the victim.

Seeing that Xue Ci didn't speak, Xie Qiaosi continued to play the victim, "My eyes are still swollen, and I can't open my mouth. I probably won't be able to eat for two or three days."

Xue Ci then belatedly said, "Oh, he doesn't usually hit people. How did you offend him?"

This statement clearly favors Qin Zhuo.

Xie Qiaosi's words were tinged with grievance. "What did I do to offend him? He was the one who boasted about his good relationship with you and even thought I was cheating on him."

Xue Ci startled.

She tensed up. "Does he think there's something wrong between us? What did he say to you?"

"I just helped you tidy up the things on the table, and he became suspicious." Xie Qiaosi leaned closer to Xue Ci. His face was bruised and swollen, and his senses were temporarily dulled, but he could still smell the fragrance on Xue Ci.

It smells so good.

I haven't smelled this in a long time.

"If only I could keep smelling it." Xie Qiaosi's apple bobbed, his gaze involuntarily falling on Xue Ci's water-red lips.

"He's clearly framing me; I haven't done anything yet."

Xue Ci thought there might be a misunderstanding, "Then—"

Her lips had barely parted, and she had barely uttered a single syllable when Xie Qiaosi continued, "Or maybe I really will cheat on you."

Wh-what...

"He's already beaten me up, so if I really kiss you, he won't do anything but beat me up again." Xie Qiaosi swallowed, his tone casual, sounding like he was joking.

But her expression betrayed her deep concern. "He's an idiot, he probably doesn't even know how to kiss."

What do you think?

In the end, they simply stopped installing it altogether.

He moved closer to Xue Ci's stunned face and took a deep breath.

I really want to kiss you.

"Your breath must smell so good, even your saliva smells sweet."

What...

Each sentence reached Xue Ci's ears.

Xie Qiaosi didn't even give him a chance to refuse.

The face in front of her gradually loomed larger, Xue Ci instinctively stepped back, but the back of her head was pressed down.

He was stiff.

Xie Qiaosi was very hot, and his scalding breath hit his cheeks.

The sound of him swallowing was very loud.

Don't, don't kiss me...

Xue Ci reached out, about to push him away, but the face suddenly recoiled—

Xie Qiaosi's collar was grabbed, Qin Wuzhen's face was as cold as ice as he slammed him against the wall.

What are you doing?

Caught completely off guard, Xie Qiaosi stumbled backward, his body colliding with the object with a dull, heavy thud. He gritted his teeth, his body swaying violently, but his hand steadily held the flower seedling for Xue Ci.

Lift your eyelids.

Xie Qiaosi glanced at Qin Wuzhen's face.

He's just an older brother.

Would his brother give him a look that suggested he wanted to kill him?

Xue Ci was panicked.

Seeing Qin Wuzhen's grip tighten, he grabbed the other's hand in alarm. "B-Big Brother... he still has injuries on his face..."

He could feel Qin Wuzhen's body stiffen slightly as he pulled him.

Loosen the grip slightly.

*

Xue Ci didn't know what happened to Xie Qiaosi in the end; he was taken to a room by Qin Wuzhen.

There was a cold, medicinal smell in Qin Wuzhen's room; it smelled bitter.

He could sense the other person's low spirits.

The cheeks were lifted up.

The next moment, her lips were brutally rubbed.

Qin Wuzhen quietly, "If I hadn't come, would Xiao Ci have agreed to let him kiss her?"

That's fierce.

Xue Ci felt a dull, tingling pain in her lips.

"I... um..."

However, as soon as he opened his mouth, the other person pushed their finger into his mouth through the gap between his lips.

It was thick and hot.

Author's Note:

We'll just stop pretending.

This is to make up for last night's episode; there will be more tonight. [Pity]